The invention relates to a work surface particularly designed for computers and computer terminals, comprising at least one tabletop and a base supporting the tabletop, the tabletop or portions of the tabletop that are closest to a person working at the work surface thus providing a keyboard platform which is arranged to at least partially surround the user, the front edge of the tabletop forming a user space with a curvilinear or fractional edge line, the keyboard platform comprising a support surface receiving the user""s arms, and a keyboard surface receiving the keyboard and a mouse.
Computer work and other similar terminal operations commonly cause various problems related to injuries in the neck, wrists and arms, and excessive visual strain. Such problems are mainly due to ergonomically poor working conditions, i.e. the workplace is unsuitable for the user. This may be because of an unsuccessful choice of chair or incorrectly positioned equipment. The most usual reason, however, is a combination of these two main reasons.
Usually it turns out that the display terminal is placed too high up at the workplace, or that the display terminal and the keyboard are incorrectly located in relation to each other. A display terminal placed too high up causes extra movement of the head, which leads to tension in the neck, thereby inflicting pain. An inappropriate location of the display terminal and the keyboard in relation to each other cause increased visual strain because the eyes are constantly focused alternately on the display terminal and the keyboard.
It is also common that the keyboard is unsatisfactorily positioned for the user, thus causing tension and pain in the shoulders, forearms and wrists.
Up to the present, attempts have been made to solve the above ergonomic problems by means of various kinds of auxiliary devices fastened to the workplace. It is therefore known to provide the keyboard with wrist supports having an articulated arm supporting the user""s wrists when his/her hands operate the keyboard. In addition, it is known to use different kinds of fixed wrist supports arranged in front of the keyboard. Such fixed wrist supports have also been arranged for operating a mouse on a mouse surface. Other arrangements for operating the mouse include different articulated arm plates on which the user rests his/her forearm when moving the mouse.
In the latest solutions the workplace is provided with a space receiving the user. In a desk provided with such a space, the tabletop extends on both sides of the user sitting at the desk, thereby partially surrounding him/her and, at the same time, providing better support for the user""s arms.
A problem with the known solutions is, however, that separate wrist supports are not only expensive but also inconvenient to use, because such wrist supports hamper other operations. Fixed wrist supports arranged in conjunction with the keyboard or, the mouse, and the new work surface provided with a space for the user do support the wrist and the forearm, but not sufficiently. The support such solutions provide to the wrist or the forearm is extremely local, therefore they fail to remove tension in the user""s arms, shoulders and in the neck area.
The solution of the invention succeeds in providing a fully novel work surface an object of which is to prevent, as effectively as possible, stress injuries from occurring. The work surface of the invention offers maximum support to the wrists and arms of a person working at the equipment, ensuring, however, at the same time a pleasant and natural working position.
This object is achieved with a work surface having the characteristics of the present invention as disclosed in the claims. More specifically, a device of the invention is principally characterized in that, in its working position, the support surface curves substantially downwardly in such a way that at least its top surface is arranged to be lower down substantially at every point of the curvilinear or fractional edge line of the front edge of the user space than at a connect surface forming between the support surface and the keyboard surface.
In other words, the idea of the invention is to fully support the forearm between the elbow and the wrist so that, when a person places him/herself in front of the work surface, the height of the work surface can be adjusted in such a way that the person can rest his/her forearms on the work surface. A portion of the top surface of the work surface being arranged to curve downwardly so that the lowest point of the top surface of the work surface is close to the user and the highest point is close to the keyboard and the mouse surface, allows the work surface to support the forearm at its entire length. When a person is working at this kind of a work surface, all the motions of his/her forearm follow the work surface in a natural manner. To support all arm motions, the work surface can be formed into a conical or double-conical form. The keyboard portion of the work surface being arranged to curve downwardly allows a natural position to be obtained for the hands, too, thereby avoiding any extra tension to the arms and wrists during keyboard operations.
By providing at least a partially stepped separation of the keyboard surface from the support surface also allows an ergonomically advantageous working position to be obtained. Another way to lower the keyboard in relation to the support surface is to provide the keyboard surface with a separate recess or depression that receives the keyboard. In this case, the mouse surfaces at the sides of the keyboard are, however, advantageously arranged to continue from the support surface following a continuous fractional or curved line, without any vertical discontinuity.
By arranging the support surface to be fully or partly resilient or bending at the user""s side it is possible to provide an arm support which is always correctly focused.
By arranging the top surface of the keyboard platform, in turn, to approach substantially horizontal at the edge zones allows excellent conditions to be obtained for mouse operations. A keyboard platform designed in this way allows mice of different sizes to be used, the platform still always providing sufficient support for the user""s wrist.